KSI has been announced as the replacement for departing judge Bruno Tonioli on Britain’s Got Talent, and opinion is divided.
Following speculation, Bruno confirmed he would be walking away from the ITV talent show last night (September 1).
Within the same announcement, KSI was revealed as his permanent replacement after previously stepping in as a stand-in judge while Bruno was away filming for Dancing With The Stars in the US.
ED!’s Assistant Editor Fabio Magnocavallo champions KSI joining Britain’s Got Talent
The news has been met with a mixed reaction, with some insisting BGT is at the “end” of its run. However, I disagree and believe only good can come from this.
Britain’s Got Talent has been airing since 2007 and rarely changes its panelists – unless they’re caught on camera making disrespectful comments about contestants, that is. And, while I believe viewers like to see familiarity on their screens, it’s always good to welcome fresh faces. After all, a change is as good as a rest.
KSI, 32, easily has a younger fanbase, something which the other stars on the panel – Simon Cowell, 65, Amanda Holden, 54, and Alesha Dixon, 46 – lack. Their careers span several decades, whereas KSI has morphed into a household name almost overnight, and through a predominantly teen audience. Why wouldn’t you want to capitalise on that?
KSI for the win!
KSI has more than 25 million YouTube subscribers and 12 million followers on TikTok, so not only do I think he offers a large, loyal following who will back him, I believe he will introduce Britain’s Got Talent to a whole new generation of fans – something ITV likely needs given the bloodbath going on over at Daytime at the moment.
His resume is as long as your arm. He’s got fingers in so many pies. He’s a YouTuber, a boxer, a rapper, a businessman. And, as the world changes, it’s important for the show to have opinions from people with different professions.
The only way BGT can continue to capture people’s attention year in, year out is to keep evolving. Employing yet another middle-aged man to sit on the panel would’ve been a big mistake. So I’m backing KSI.
Bravo, BGT!
ED!’s Staff Writer Rebecca Sayers thinks the change could be the end of BGT
While I completely understand how KSI could bring a new audience to Britain’s Got Talent, I feel like we’re moving away from that type of show – and so making a huge change like this could actually push away the show’s loyal audience.
We only had one season with Bruno, so this isn’t necessarily about losing him as a judge. But bringing someone in who isn’t a ‘huge name’ with the BGT crowd may not be the best way to keep the show rolling.
Talent shows have been slowly dying out over the years anyway. First we said goodbye to The X Factor, then last year marked the end of Dancing On Ice. So Britain’s Got Talent had the opportunity to grab a huge name that its core audience would know to add to the judging panel. Instead, it picked KSI.
Yes he has a huge online following, but that following is on social media. And the younger generations are more inclined to stick to their online platforms rather than watch TV. So while it may have been a decision rooted in bringing in younger viewers – it might not necessarily work out like that. Instead, ITV should have booked a name that would be familiar with its dedicated viewers. Ashley Banjo. Olly Murs. Rylan Clark.
Go back to basics, ITV
Every time a huge show undergoes a huge change, it seems to be hit with backlash as people prefer it just sticks to the basics. So why couldn’t Britain’s Got Talent do the same?
Ultimately, do we even need four judges? For the first three seasons we only had three. When Bruno realised he couldn’t take part in the 2026 run, it could’ve been a way for ITV to return the BGT that we used to know and love – Simon, Alesha and Amanda as judges and Ant and Dec as hosts.
By adding KSI into the mix, I think ITV is making a huge mistake… One that could ultimately end in the show being shelved altogether.
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